Daughter of Chaos
by Hazelstar
Summary: See summary inside. F/F
1. Chapter 1

**Summary: As a Hunter, Thalia has sworn off romantic love and men, and has kept her oath. But after being sent to bring back a mysterious demi-god, Thalia begins to feel something for her charge, the sarcastic, sassy, annoying Arianna Mendez who brings nothing but trouble to those who get close to her, and betrays those who attempt to help her. Will Thalia break her oath in attempt to bring Arianna back to the Olympian's side? Or will she stand back and watch the girl she loves side with Kronos?**

A/N: I've chosen to rewrite Daughter of Chaos, so here's the first chapter of the new DoC!

Disclaimer: I really do wish I owned P.J.O.

_He could make out the forms of an owl and a horse. The owl flew overhead, soaring through the night sky. The horse snorted as it galloped through the forest, keeping pace with the owl easily. The moon shone clearly on the owl and the stallion, causing the owl to appear silver and to gently caress the stallion's midnight colored coat. _

_Suddenly, the animals picked up the pace, charging through the trees and into a clearing. They darted towards a long, deadly scythe. He noticed something odd about the scythe; it had a golden apple impaled on the blade._

Jonathon woke with a start, panting heavily. His blond hair was heavy and moist with sweat, his tan features flushed and feverish. "Got to warn Chiron" he muttered, jumping out of bed. He hastily pulled on a jacket to ward off the chill of the night and took off towards the Big House.

He banged on the door furiously, looking over his shoulder, as if he expected the owl and horse to be charging at him. Chiron opened the door, bow in hand. "What happened?" he asked sharply.

'I-I h-had a dream Chiron" stuttered Jonathon, as he began to explain his dream.

Chiron's jaw tightened as he listened to the son of Apollo, worry clouding his eyes. "Rouse the Campers, and bring Percy and Annabeth here" ordered the centaur tersely.

Fifteen minutes later, Annabeth and Percy entered the Big House, alert for danger.

As quickly as he could, Chiron explained to them Jonathon's dream. "I fear that the dream might be foreshadowing some event that we cannot stop" finished Chiron gravely.

Annabeth frowned, her mind racing quickly through her memory. "Chiron, I think I might know something about the dream" she began slowly, hesitation in her eyes.

"The dream is obvious really; the owl and the horse are referring to Percy and me. The scythe means Kronos of course. The golden apple….. Well, it can only be referring to Eris" finished Annabeth. Chiron frowned.

"A few days ago, I received word of a demi-god living in Texas. The satyr believes the girl to be a daughter of Eris. We must find her before she falls into the hands of Kronos, or winds up dead. I believe that this girl may be the key to destroying Kronos once and for all" finished Chiron.

"Chiron let me and Annabeth go find her" pleaded Percy.

"No Percy, I need the two of you here. The Hunters will arrive in a few days. I shall speak to Artemis about lending me some of her Hunters. Go back to bed both of you, you need your sleep" said Chiron, his eyes softening slightly.

Percy's shoulders slumped forward in defeat and made his way out of the Big House and back to his cabin. Only Annabeth remained behind.

"Chiron, if Kronos were to get his hands on her- " Chiron cut her off.

"I know what would happen Annabeth. Just don't tell Percy, not yet. It would make him doubt himself, and we can't afford any mistakes, especially not now." Annabeth sighed and returned to her cabin, her mind racing.

Chiron walked out towards the porch of the Big House, staring up into the night sky. "Gods protect us from what is yet to come" he whispered.

The moon continued to shine, though its light seemed to grow darker, as if Artemis herself was beginning to lose hope.

A/N: So, did you like it? Tell me your answer in your reviews! Frankly, I like this chapter more than I liked all of the original Daughter of Chaos put together! But, that's just me. Please review.


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Thalia eyed the swarming mass that made up the population of Garcia Middle School. The loud yells pounded at her skull, making it difficult to think clearly. Huddles of girls were examining her outfit, and when she caught their eyes they snickered into their palms and turned their backs on her.

She gritted her teeth angrily, glaring at the preppy girls and cracked her knuckles. A comforting tap on her arm caused her to glance up into Amber's sympatric gaze. "Told you to go easy on the goth/punk clothes" muttered the brunette demi-god, glancing warily around their surroundings.

"I hate Texas," grumbled Thalia, tugging at her shaggy hair. Since joining the Hunters, she had allowed her hair to grow out, so now it was slightly past her shoulders.

"That makes two of us" said Rayne, a blond, green eyed daughter of Apollo. The trio fell into comfortable silence as they scanned the hall, searching for any enemies in disguise or their target. The shrill bell rang, signaling the students to get to class. Lockers slammed shut as their owners hurried off to homeroom.

"I've got to go guys, don't want to be late on our first day" said Amber, disappearing into the swarm of 7th graders. "See you in lunch Thalia" said Rayne before she too rushed into the crowed halls, leaving the dark haired Hunter alone.

Thalia climbed up the stairs, doing her best to ignore the muted snickers. She glanced at the pink slip in her hand, squinting to make out the numbers and cursed her dyslexia. Finally, she was able to make out the room number. She hurried into the assigned class, absently scanning the room while the teacher signed the paper. Whispers followed her as she walked towards the back, taking the last empty desk besides a quiet, lean girl.

Thalia did a double take of the girl, careful to be discreet.

The girl was about 5'4, pale compared to the dark complexion of her Hispanic classmates. Her hair fell in unruly dark chocolate curls down her back. Side swept bangs covered her right eye, preventing the Daughter of Zeus from determining their color. She was dressed in a faded black t-shirt that showed off the soft olive hues of her skin, and a pair of ripped jeans hugged her long legs. Draped across her lap was a ripped jean jacket. Thalia noted that both wrists were covered by leather bands.

The girl turned her head slightly and with a soft gasp, Thalia found herself meeting the dark girl's eyes, the color of melted gold with small flecks of green.

It seemed as if an eternity passed before Thalia willed herself to look away. "Arianna Mendez?" asked the teacher. "Here" answered the girl softly, not bothering to glance up. Thalia straightened in her seat, muscles stiffening. Arianna Mendez was the girl Chiron had ordered them to bring to Camp Half-Blood.

Thalia raised her head slightly as the teacher called her name. She needed to tell Rayne she'd found her.

The class went by quickly, something Thalia was glad for. She scurried out into the hallway, searching for the familiar blond. "Did you find her yet?" asked Rayne, making Thalia jump. Relaxing at the sight of the blond, Thalia nodded.

"Yeah, she sits next to me" she responded, speed walking towards her next class. "Alright, see you later" said Rayne, slipping into a half filled class.

In her next class, she was forced to sit next to a group of tough looking boys. They all wore crimson red shirts, and their heads were shaved bare. Thalia groaned inwardly. Great, skinheads. "I hate South Texas" she muttered to herself as she took her seat.

The teacher began to lecture about positive and negative integers and Thalia flinched. Scratch that, she _hated_ math.

Author's Note: I know, the story is feeling kind of slow and sluggish, but that's because I need to build up the setting and other stuff. Don't worry; the next chapter will have more action. ;) Thalia gets in a fist fight with a bunch of gangster girls. =D


	3. Chapter 3

Thalia poked her food warily with her fork, disgust washing over her sharp, pale features as the food shifted. Rayne had tossed her tray away, and was pretending to be looking for something urgently important in her messenger rolled her eyes in disgust as she noticed the appreciative looks her blond friend was getting from the boys. Rayne was of medium height with the perfect tan, perfectly straight, white teeth, green-blue eyes and blond hair that tumbled past her shoulders.

On a normal day, Rayne was pretty. On a great day, she was smoking'. Well, until people noticed the slender scar that began on the side of her right nostril and ended a few inches from her jugular.

It looked like a slash wound to Thalia.

This happened to be a great day for Rayne. Rayne was dressed in a tight green shirt with black skinny jeans and soft, calf high black boots. Her golden locks were pulled into a messy ponytail with strands caressing her bronzed cheekbones. The image of perfection was ruined when people noticed the silvery scar, standing at attention against her tanned skin.

Thalia stiffened in her seat as Arianna passed by their nearly empty table. She glanced at Thalia through the corner of her eye and headed straight for an empty table. She toyed with her food idly, looking bored. A group of lean girls passed by her and called out greetings which she answered, a polite smile stretched over her face that didn't exactly meet her eyes.

"Is that her?" murmured Rayne, having brought out her notebook and made it appear to be studying her notes. Thalia nodded her head slightly. "Yeah, it's her" she muttered, glancing around the crowed lunchroom casually.

"She's kinda cute " she said teasingly. The brunette shrugged, shifting in her seat uneasily.

Something didn't feel right. A painful tugging at Thalia's gut assured her something was off. But what?

They quietly waited for the period to pass, and Thalia could feel the tension in the air increase.

A few minutes later, the bell rang. Chairs were scraped back as students made their way into the hallway, chattering carelessly with their friends and threw away any leftover trash. Thalia slipped on a puddle of milk, momentary losing her balance. She quickly regained her balance, but not before she bumped into another girl, causing the girl to spill a carton of milk all over her shirt.

The girl whirled around, dark eyes narrowed into slits. Thalia was momentary reminded of Clarisse; a daughter of Ares and a major bully.

"Watch were you're going _puta_ (1)" snarled the greasy haired girl. Thalia knew enough Spanish to know what _that_ meant. She bristled angrily and took a step forward, a challenge in her electric blue eyes.

"What did you call me bitch?" she asked quietly, tensing slightly. The girl growled. "You heard me, are you deaf as well as stupid?" she challenged.

A hand grabbed Thalia by the shoulder, and she glanced up to see Rayne giving her a warning glance. Thalia grit her teeth and brushed herself off, though a part of her was screaming to beat the girl into a pulp. A heavy hand connected with the daughter of Zeus's back, sending her stumbling forward. "Did you hear me bitch?"snarled the Hispanic teen. Thalia stiffened, and curled her hands into fists before whirling around to glare at the other girl. "Oh, I heard you loud and clear _bitch."_

With a yell, the girl launched herself at the Hunter, connecting her fist with her jaw.

Thalia stumbled back, allowing her instincts to take over. She dodged a sharp uppercut that was aimed at her jaw and lashed out, hardly noticing her fist jab at the girl's face. She blocked a kick towards her thigh, taking a painful punch to her nose. Warm, wet blood began to trickle down Thalia's nose, but she ignored the disturbance, eyes watering.

From the corner of her eye, she could see Rayne fighting with a tall, redheaded girl.

Sharp pain raced through Thalia's cheek and she realized her attacker had sliced open her cheek with her claw like nails.

The girl knocked Thalia into a table, and smirked as Thalia's head smashed roughly into a chair. Thalia felt dizzy, she was seeing two girls instead of one. Her head hurt like hell and she could taste the metallic tang of her own blood on the tip of her tongue.

An angry roar echoed through her ears, and she closed her eyes, thinking the roar was caused by her injured head. When she opened them, she could see clearly. She could see the girl, Arianna tackling the other girl into a booth, her lean body quivering with energy. She kneed the other girl hard in the gut, backhanding her fiercely across the face.

Arianna's lips were pulled into a taunt snarl, and a glimmer of cruel joy gleamed in her eyes.

The tugging on Thalia's gut increased until it exploded. Chaos echoed across the room, students who had been casually watching fought amongst themselves, yelling, punching or kicking.

A loud, shrill whistle pierced through the chaotic noise, and the chaos died down. The principle stood at the entrance of the lunchroom, glaring at the students. The crowd parted for her, and Thalia struggled to her feet when the lady stopped in front of her.

She scanned the area coldly, pointing at Arianna, Rayne, the girl and her goon and finally at Thalia herself and said in a flat voice, "Detention after school, from three to four. Show up if you don't want to be expelled."

With that, Ms. Ortiz turned on her heel and marched out of the room. "Come here girl; let's get you to the Nurse. You might want to come with us as well" said Rayne, nodding at a bruise forming along Arianna's jaw line and a cut above her right brow.

The Hispanic girl shrugged and mumbled something under her breath, following them. The Nurse quickly treated Rayne's shallow scratch on her chin and handed Thalia two ice packs, one for her nose and one for her head.

Arianna merely got a Band- Aid for her cut and a small icepack for the bruising.

Rayne promptly disappeared off to Gym class, leaving the two brunettes alone.

"Why did you do that?" asked Thalia, indicating at the fight. Arianna shrugged, glancing at the toe of her scoffed Converse high- top. "Ashley thinks she can do whatever she wants just because she's popular. I hate her. Plus, I used to be the new kid last year so I know what it feels like to be picked on" muttered Arianna. Thalia nodded, biting her lip. "Thanks." She hesitated.

"Arianna, want to hang out later this week or something?" she asked quietly, eyeing the brunette before her warily.

Arianna's lips twitched up in a small smile and she took a scrap of paper from her jacket and a pen from her pocket. "This is my number, call me when you're free" she said, scribbling at the paper.

Nodding, Thalia tucked the sheet into her pocket carefully. "So, I'll see you around then?" she said, unsure of what to say.

Arianna flashed the daughter of Zeus a wicked smile and nodded. "I have a feeling we will" she said, walking away with a seductive swing to her hips.

A shiver ran up Thalia's spine, but she blamed it on the air conditioning.

She'd call Arianna tonight and try and explain to her what she was.

She'd tell her about her destiny and how important she could be.

Thalia just hoped she would believe her.

A/N: (1) Puta is Spanish for bitch


	4. Chapter 4

Detention was exactly what Thalia expected it to be; a boring, tiring affair. Thanks to her ADHD, she was constantly receiving glares from Ms. Hernandez, an old, gruff 6th grade teacher who, according to the rumors and whispers by the student body, had once been in the army and had been forced to eat her comrades in order to survive. Every minute she spent in the detention room convinced Thalia that maybe the rumors were true.

Arianna was sitting on the far side of the room, next to a dim window. She was bent over her notebook, scribbling away in bliss. The sleeves of her jacket were rolled up, her wrists covered by wristbands; all except one was covered in spikes and studs. The wristband was black with a rainbow pattern sewed into the leather.

Rayne sat diagonal from Thalia, idly painting her nails a crisp shade of forest green, her pen pushed back behind her ear, loose strands of blond hair caressing her face.

Thalia tapped her pen against the scratched wood of the desk, ignoring the glare Ms. Hernandez gave her. The clock read 3:50; ten more minutes before they could leave. Thalia shifted in her seat for what could possibly be the hundredth time in the past fifteen minutes. Thalia tried to sit still; she couldn't, not for more than a minute. Something felt wrong; a strange buzz was in the air. The hands of the clock ticked by slowly, adding to the hunter's frustration. Something wasn't right, why was she the only one feeling it?

3:55pm. Thalia wanted to scream, she needed to get out of here **right now** or else she'd go insane. She fiddled with the silver bracelet on her wrist, a nervous habit she had needed to break but had never come around to doing it.

"Ms. Mendez, Coach Harris gave me specific orders to send you to practice as soon as you were finished with your punishment. Now, run along, and hurry, I believe your coach wishes to speak to you about your little episode today" Ms Hernandez smirked.

Arianna stood from her chair, rolling her eyes as she pushed her sleeves down her arms and packed up her book bag. "Yes ma`am, I'm sure coach will lecture me about the morals of respecting my fellow classmates, then she'll just send me along to replace Kashia, who, by the way, is a shitastic point guard." The brunette smirked, swinging her bag over her shoulder and darted out the door before the teacher could respond.

Thalia stifled a laugh; the girl had fire, she'd give her that.

Ms. Hernandez turned her fierce glare on Thalia, silencing any laughter that might've escaped. "You two are dismissed" she growled. Rayne was up on her feet without a moment's pause, closely followed by Thalia.

The two girls scurried away from the dreaded detention room with relief. "Hey Thalia, Amber said she'd wait for us by the basketball courts" said Rayne when they were far from Ms. Hernandez.

Thalia shrugged. "Alright, let's go" she said, jogging down the hall and pushing open the doors that led to the blacktop.

Amber sat underneath a tree, watching a group of girls take free throws. "Hey guys" greeted the daughter of Hermes, brushing dark hair from her amber eyes. "Hey, how'd the hour feel?" asked Rayne, flopping down besides the younger girl. Amber shrugged. "Pretty boring really, my only source on entertainment was watching that girl," Amber pointed to a short, slim girl with dark hair, "make a fool of herself. I think she's playing point guard. Jeez, how can Garcia's girls basketball team be any good with her as point guard?"

At that moment, Arianna came jogging out through the doors from the locker rooms, dressed in a baggy grey t-shirt that read "Garcia Gators Number 11" in dark blue letters and a pair of blue shorts. Her arms were still covered in the wristbands. One of her teammates tossed her a ball, which she caught and dribbled up the court, dodging and weaving through the throng of her fellow players before she got a clear shot, and with a flick of her wrist, sent the ball sailing through the basket. Her friends cheered, patting her on the back.

In reality, only half of the team congratulated her, the other half stayed firmly rooted besides the short girl, Kashia, Thalia presumed.

Kashia glared at Arianna, a glare that sent shivers up Thalia's spine. Her eyes were an odd mix of yellowish brown.

Kashia marched up towards the taller girl and growled something at her. Arianna raised an eyebrow, casually pressing the ball against her hip as she lowered herself to Kashia's eye level. A slight smirk curved Arianna's lips up, and smoke seemed to appear to be coming out from Kashia's flaming ears.

Kashia said something that wiped the smirk from Arianna's face, forcing her already pale skin to pale even more, cold fury flashing through the taller girl's eyes. Sensing a fight, Arianna's groupies surged forward, a cluster of athletic, strong looking girls with a few weaker ones smashed against the broad shouldered girls. A sneering, slender huddle of girls was at Kashia's side in a heartbeat, a few of them actually looking sporty, despite the bright pink nail polish.

Arianna and Kashia were locked in a glaring contest, neither leader willing to make the first move. Kashia's muscles tenses, and Thalia stiffened, Kashia was preparing to launch herself at the bigger girl.

Just in time, a sporty looking, tanned woman ran up to the group, a whistle dangling from her neck. The woman couldn't have been older than twenty-six; her blond hair was pulled back in a ponytail, a few strands falling into blue eyes. She pushed the two girls apart, muttering something to them. Arianna shook her head, snarling a comment. Kashia bristled but remained still, grumbling.

Arianna turned around, flicking her hand; a signal that only the basketball players understood. Four girls stepped forward while the rest departed towards the sidelines, whispering amongst themselves. Kashia had done the same thing. The girls Arianna chose varied from the other. The shortest of the girls was thin yet strong, calves heavily muscled. Two other girls, closely similar in height, but one was a brunette, the other a redhead. The last girl was tall, as big as Clarisse, and like the Daughter of Ares, was built on solid slabs of muscle.

Kashia picked the sporty girls from her side, an equal match.

Arianna's team pulled on black jerseys while Kashia's team wore yellow. Arianna was to bring the ball in; she passed it to the redhead on her team, darting forward and turning around to catch the ball as the redhead whizzed by. Arianna faked to the left, passing to the brunette. The brunette avoided Kashia with little effort, tossing the ball to their tall friend. She caught it and sent it into the basket.

The coach blew the whistle and both teams stepped off the court, trading jerseys. Twenty minutes later, Arianna's team was up again, and Arianna had stolen the ball just as Kaisha's center had been preparing to shoot. The girls darted down the court, Kaisha hot on Arianna's heels. Arianna skidded to a step, and took a jump shot. Kaisha ran straight into Arianna, just as she was pushing herself up in the air. The two girls collided and fell in a heap on the ground.

Thalia made a move to run to Arianna's side, but a look from Rayne held her back.

Arianna stumbled to her feet, blood flowing from a fresh gash on her face. She limped aside as her teammates and coach ran to see if they were okay. Kashia was fine, she had been cushioned by Arianna's body.

Arianna wasn't fine, the cut on her face was spewing blood and she couldn't put any weight on her left ankle. The coach ordered a girl to help Arianna towards the locker room and the girl obeyed, slinging Arianna's arm over her shoulder.

Thalia saw her chance, when the two girls came close, the hunter offered to help Arianna to the locker room. The other girl looked relived, she barely came up to Arianna's shoulder, and Thalia herself was far taller than the young Hispanic girl.

"What's with you and getting hurt?" asked Thalia as she helped Arianna sit down in the locker room. The Hispanic girl had pointed Thalia to the First Aid cabinet, and now the hunter was dabbing alcohol on a cotton swab. "I just attract trouble, pain, and bad luck" mumbled Arianna, hissing through her teeth as Thalia lightly dabbed the pad over her cut.

Thalia frowned, gingerly cleaning the cut, trying to be as gentle as possible.

"Well, if I were you, I'd try and stay away from Kashia, looks like she doesn't like you much" said Thalia tossing the dirtied cotton swab into the trash. The blood had clotted already so Thalia carefully applied some antibiotic ointment on the cut.

Arianna snorted, gritting her teeth as Thalia's hands searched her ankle for any broken bones. "Kashia _does _hate me, she has ever since I stole her spot as the starting point guard" she answered as Thalia began wrapping a bandage around her ankle after she was sure it was just sprained.

"Well, be careful around your enemies, they're bound to pull more nasty stuff on you" said Thalia, helping Arianna up. "Can you walk?" Arianna took a few hesitant steps forward. "A bit, but one thing's for sure, I won't be running laps for a week or two" said Arianna wryly.

Thalia chuckled. "That would be a bad idea. Try and stay off the ankle if you can, I'll go tell you're coach you're alright, and you should probably call home. Bye Arianna."

"Wait, why were you watching me? Why did you follow me to practice?"

Thalia stopped in mid-stride. She slowly turned around and carefully chose her words. "I was waiting with my friends for my older sister to pick us up. She should be here by now."

Arianna seemed to be partially convinced by the lie. "Alright, see you tomorrow. Thanks Thalia."

Thalia smiled slightly and slipped out of the locker room, feeling oddly happy.


	5. Chapter 5

"Thanks for the ride Mrs. Swift" said Thalia, climbing out of the battered black 1997 Mustang. It had been several weeks since Thalia had treated Arianna's injuries, and the two had become friends ever since. Amber and Rayne had crawled out through the other door. "No problem girls call me when you want to be picked up" said an older version of Amber. "Thanks mom, I'll try not to get into too much trouble" said cheeky Amber. Mrs. Swift rolled her eyes at her daughter, handing her a twenty. "Get yourselves some snacks and enjoy the game" she said before driving away.

The trio hurried up the steps of the school and sneaked past the ticket seller's booth, they wanted to save enough money for snacks.

Thalia stepped into the gym, scanning the bleachers for a good seat.

Thalia!" The hunter turned and saw Arianna waving at her, dressed in the school's blue jersey and shorts, her lucky number 11 on the back in silver. Thalia smiled at her friend, silently wishing her luck. Winning tonight's game meant going to the semi-finals, something the Garcia Gators hadn't done in two years.

Coach Harris was determined that this year her girls would win their way to the top.

The three girls quickly found a pair of good seats and watched the Gators warm up.

A girl Thalia recognized from one of classes, Michelle, passed the ball towards Arianna. The brunette girl fumbled with the ball, flushing at her mistake and returned her forcus to the task at hand. She dribbled once, twice and smirked as the ball fell into the basket with a gentle _whoosh_.

The opposing team was doing a similar drill, looking menacing in their black and red uniforms. Thalia heard mutterings about Perkins Middle School and she recognized the name from numerous jokes about Perkins being a bad school.

The Perkins girls were taller than most of the girls on Garcia's team, and definitely a lot buffer. For a fleeting moment, Thalia pictured Clarisse on the team and had to stifle a laugh.

The buzzer sounded, ending the warm up. Excited chatter rose through the crowd; Garcia and Perkins had been bitter rivals for as long as anyone could remember.

The ref twirled the ball around his finger as he instructed Arianna and Number 5 from Perkins to have a clean game. The two captains shook hands, a look of fierce competiveness flashing through their eyes.

Garcia's Center, Maria faced off against Perkin's Center, a girl with bulging muscles.

The ref tossed the ball into the air and both girls jumped up into the air, fingers grasping for control of the ball. The Perkin's Center tipped the ball towards her teammate, Number 5.

The petite girl darted towards Garcia's baske, only to be challenged by Arianna. The two girls fought for control of the ball, both determined to control it.

Number 5 darted to the left, but was met by Arianna, her hand trying to snatch the ball away. Number 5 turned her back towards the Hispanic girl, passing the ball to one of her teammates. The girl caught the ball and flicked it into the basket. The Garcia fans groaned in disappointment, quickly cheering up when Arianna passed the ball to her teammate, Number 17.

The girl passed the ball back to Arianna, and the lean Hispanic caught it with practiced ease, dodging her opponents and passed it back to the girl, a move that surprised the Perkins girls. The Garcia cluster cheered as the ball sunk into the basket and the Gators hurried back onto defense.

The game continued on in this fashion until the 3rd quarter when both teams were tied, a score of 25-25 with only a minute left on the clock.

Thalia spared a glance at her friends, amused when she caught sight of Rayne twirling a strand of blond hair around her index finger; something she only did when she was nervous. Amber was busily munching on her 4th hotdog, courtesy of the concession stand.

Suddenly, an odd tugging at her stomach began, similar to one Thalia had experienced in the cafeteria weeks ago. She frowned as the tugging increased. A silent gasp escaped her lips as her skin began tingling and she hurriedly scanned the crowd before her eyes locked onto Kashia.

The pain increased tenfold as Thalia continued to stare at Kashia. The girl was benched, eyes following the movements of her teammates.

A memory hit Thalia like a missile, all she could was watch as it replayed itself in her mind.

_They were sitting on the steps of Arianna's tiny apartment. Her father was at work, he had just left a few minutes ago. The girls were sitting in comfortable silence, watching the cars whiz by the tiny place._

_Thalia was musing; it seemed that this was the right moment to tell Arianna about her past. Thalia parted her lips; it was now or never._

"_Did I ever tell you that Kashia smells funky?" said Arianna suddenly, forcing Thalia to clamp her mouth shut. "What do you mean?" asked the dark haired hunter, curious as to why her companion had decided to suddenly volunteer such a random bit of information._

"_I mean, she smells weird. Like clean animal fur. I used to have a puppy named Jesse and I remember how her fur smelt after her bath, that's how Kashia smells all the time, except after practice she smells worse, all nasty and stuff" explained Arianna._

At the time, that information meant nothing to Thalia, but now, something clicked inside her mind and she understood completely; Arianna was in danger.

"Guys, something's up" muttered the daughter of Zeus. Her friends turned their attention to her as Thalia quickly explained.

"So what do we do, wait for someone to start scream-" Rayne was cut off as a high pitch scream punctured the air.

The demi-gods turned back to the game and to their horror, they found a monster snarling in Center court. Screaming and panicked people were desperately trying to leave the bleachers.

The monster was a woman from the waist up, a bit like a centaur. But, it had the body of a dragon instead of a horse; Thalia estimated it to be at least twenty feet long, the color of charcoal and scaly with enormous claws and a barbed tail. Snakes were sprouting from her legs, giving them the appearance to be wrapped in vines. Her hair was also made up snakes, reminding Thalia of Medusa. At her waist, where woman and dragon met, the skin kept on morphing into dangerous animals; the heads of a snarling wolf, of a growling bear and a lion with its fangs bared.

Thalia recognized the creature from a story Artemis had told her; Kampè, the Jailer of the Cyclops and Hundred-Handed-Ones.

Where Kashia stood was an empusa, and she was making her way towards Arianna. Thalia pulled out her can of mace and flexed her fingers as the tube grew into her spear.

Rayne's sun necklace had become her bow and she was taking aim at Kampè while Amber's iPod became a bronze knife. "I'll get Arianna, you guys distract Kampè!" shouted Thalia, leaping off the bleachers and onto the court, dashing towards her friend, Aegis popping out onto her forearm.

Kashia had backed Arianna into a corner, and she had a predatory grin on her face.

Thalia could see Arianna's pulse nearly jumping out of her throat, she had to move. "For the Gods!" cried Thalia, jabbing her spear at the monster.

Kashia snarled and whirled around, dodging the spear and hissed. "Half-blood, leave and you shall not be harmed, my master seeks her!" hissed Kashia.

Thalia bared her teeth; a silent act of defiance. Kashia smirked. "Then you shall die half-blood" she snarled, swiping at the hunter.

Aegis saved Thalia's life, blocking the monster's blow. A pounding headache erupted in Thalia's temples, and the tugging on her stomach increased.

Suddenly, a blanket of silence muffled the gym before an explosion ripped through the building, tendrils of darkness flying through the air and wrapping around Kaisha.

The empusa let out a ferial shriek of pain, a sound that would forevermore echo in Thalia's mind and come to haunt her dreams. The tendrils tightened their grip and Kashia burst into dust.

Thalia turned her gaze towards Arianna, who sat huddled against the wall, looking worn out and tired. "Thalia" murmured Arianna sleepily, eyelids fluttering shut. Thalia checked her pulse; it was slow and steady.

The two girls had managed to weaken Kampè, but they needed more help. Thalia jumped into the air, slicing her spear through the monster's hide. Kampè growled in agony, craning her neck, trying to find her attacker. Rayne loaded her bow, taking careful aim and fired the arrow into the monster's throat. The arrow missed and impaled itself through the wall. Somehow, Kampè had managed to throw off Thalia and was growling, hatred in her eyes. "Foolish half-blood, you shall all die!" snarled the monster, swinging her tail at the demi-gods. "Scatter!" yelled Thalia, rolling away from the barbed tail and leaped to her feet.

Rayne retreated back a few feet, still firing arrow after arrow, most of them missing their target. Thalia cursed; Rayne may be a daughter of Apollo, but she didn't excel as well as her siblings with the bow.

"Get Arianna, we've got to get out of here, I'll distract her" said Rayne, loading another arrow into her bow as Amber and Thalia rushed back for the brunette.

Together, the two girls were able to carry the 125lb girl into the parking lot with Rayne at their heels, firing more missiles at the beast. No one noticed them; they were all too busy with their own problems.

Thalia stopped when she caught site of a silver Mustang. She shared a grin with Amber. Together, the two girls were able to hotwire the car in a few moments while Rayne kept their guest busy. "Get in guys, Amber, we'll stop at your moms for a bit before we head out to Camp" said Thalia, shifting the gears, enjoying the low purr the engine made. One of Thalia's fellow hunters had taught her to drive before she had gone back to Camp, she could handle the car.

Rayne warily climbed in, muttering prayers to her father, Apollo. Amber dragged Arianna into the backseat, smirking.

Thalia pulled the car out of the parking lot, steering them past various burger joints and other stores before she pulled into the lat of a tiny apartment complex. Kampè had lost their scent a long time ago amongst all the different smells of Brownsville. Arianna was still passed out in the back; Thalia deemed it safe to leave her there.

"What's wrong?" asked Amber's mom when she saw Amber step into the living room. "We were attacked mom, we have to go back to Camp" explained Amber, hurrying to her small bedroom with Thalia and Rayne at her heels.

They packed whatever they could fit into their backpacks, and Thalia found an empty bag for Arianna.

Amber's mother appeared in the room, holding three Ziploc bags filled with ambrosia and separate canteens of nectar. She pressed a large wad of money that was held together with a rubber band into Thalia's hands for safekeeping. "Stay safe, Amber, listen to Thalia and Rayne, and for Christ's sake, try not to get into _too_ much trouble" said Mrs. Swift.

Amber smiled innocently at her mother. "I can't make any promises mom, love you" said the daughter of Hermes, kissing her mother's cheek before bounding out the door.

A twinge of sadness vibrated up Thalia's spine, and for a moment, she wished her relationship with her mother had been different. But the odd emotion was quickly stamped out as Rayne hurried after Amber and Thalia was forced to follow them.

Thalia drove towards Arianna's apartment; she had been there a few times before with Arianna. The lights were off in her apartment, and Thalia remembered Arianna's father worked late. She checked her watch; he wasn't due back for another hour. "Wait here, and stay in the car" ordered the dark haired hunter, getting out of the car and slamming the door shut.

She picked the lock on the front door with ease; years of being on the run had taught her a thing or two.

She pushed the door open gently and crept through the dark hallway, fingers searching for the light switch. When she found the switch she flicked them on. An old, worn couch greeted her, along with a coffee table covered in various take out boxes.

In Arianna's room, Thalia had to hold back a smile. The walls were painted a soft aqua and the bed sheets were a warm chocolate brown with lime green and aqua polka dots. Various posters were taped to the wall, and countless cds and empty coke cans littered the nightstand and floor.

Thalia shook her head and went to work, grabbing clothes at random from Arianna's closet. A faint blush slowly crawled up the hunter's neck when she was forced to pack Arianna's under clothes.

Thalia shook her head again and closed the bag; leaving the room. She scrawled Amber's number down on a piece of paper and left in plain view for Arianna's dad to find. When that was done she went back out to the car and tossed the bag besides Amber.

"She's stirred a couple of times, but I think she won't come around for another six hours" reported Rayne, ever the medic.

Thalia nodded. "Hopefully we'll be in San Antonio by then" she said, pulling out of the crappy apartments.

Rayne frowned. "No plane?" asked Amber, pushing her head into the empty space between the passenger and drive seats.

"No plane. We need a lot of time to explain this to Arianna, and driving is the perfect way."

Thalia felt guilty about the partial lie; yes, she was driving because it gave them enough time for explanations, but also because Thalia feared heights.

Thalia smirked into the rearview mirror. "Let's get this dysfunctional show on the road."


	6. Chapter 6

**Thanks to my awesome "sister", Bright Silver Lady of Midnight for betaing this story, and for making me laugh. Without her, I'd be a poor, sad little writer with lousy stories.( I still have crappy stories posted here that are left over from my younger years, but I've gotten rid of the worst) Anyways, thanks for everything you've done sis.**

Thalia pulled over at a deserted gas station. The flickering, neon lights gave the place an old, rundown appearance. She spared a glance at her companions and couldn't help the soft smile that curved over her lips. Rayne's temple was pressed against the window, soft snores gliding from her lips. In the backseat, Amber lay curled up against the door, her upturned features at peace. Next to her, Arianna's head leaned against the seat, the lights casting an eerie shadow on her light olive features. An odd feeling crept up the hunter's spine as she gazed at the younger demi-god, a feeling she had no name for. Arianna stirred slightly, startling the brunette girl.

"Thalia," murmured Arianna, turning around to press her cheek to the window in a similar position to Rayne's.

Thalia furrowed her brow in surprise but shrugged her shoulders as she slipped out of the car, thinking Arianna was just dreaming. In the store, Thalia purchased energy drinks, snack foods and coffee. She also filled up the gas tank; it was the middle of the night and she didn't want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere. The girl behind the counter raised an eyebrow at the sight of Thalia's purchases but she stayed quiet, only speaking when she tallied up the total of the items. The dark haired girl handed her the money silently, grabbing the bags and her change and went back to the car.

Back at the car, Amber was awake and stretching. "Food?" she asked hopefully, patting her stomach. The hotdogs from the basketball game seemed like weeks ago.

Thalia smirked and handed her a package of Twinkies, "Don't eat everything, Rayne, Arianna and I need to eat too," warned Thalia, putting the car in gear.

Amber grunted a response through a mouthful of sugary sweets and Thalia rolled her eyes, taking a large gulp of coffee before pulling out of the parking lot.

A few hours later, Amber was back in dreamland and Thalia was once again left alone with the quiet sounds of breathing and snoring. She didn't turn the radio on, they were in the middle of nowhere and the only stations she could get where Mexican ones.

The moon shone in the night sky, and Thalia felt a pang of loneliness. Artemis would be with hunters in some far off place. Amanda would be trying to fill the shoes Thalia had left. Trying and failing.

Slowly, the mixture between flat, dry plains and dense, rolling hills became a huddle of small wooden houses.

"Turn left," chirped the small GPS that had come with the car.

Thalia did as she was told. The sun was slowly peeking over the horizon, and Thalia was hit with the memory of driving Apollo's chariot, er, car. In the early morning light, the rugged landscape shone its harsh beauty, and for a moment, Thalia could understand why so many people would've have wanted to move to Texas many years ago, when the land was new.

Thalia smiled to herself as she noticed a young foal prancing around its mother in a nearby field. The foal was a warm, chocolate color with a fuzzy mane and tail.

A slight stirring brought the hunter back to reality and she glanced towards the passenger seat where Rayne was waking up, "Morning," muttered the blond grumpily, wiping the sleep from her eyes.

Thalia grinned; Rayne wasn't a morning person like the rest of her siblings, she'd sleep well past noon if she could.

"There's a bag of snacks in the back," said Thalia in her cheeriest voice; another known fact about Rayne was she hated people who were perky in the early morning.

Rayne shot her a glare and rummaged around in the bag before pulling out a Honey Bun and a Monster.

"Did she wake up?" asked Rayne quietly after she had finished her meager breakfast and the Monster had time to kick in.

Thalia shook her head. The faint images of buildings could be seen up ahead if one squinted hard enough.

"She stirred when I stopped for gas and food; that was around two in the morning but besides that, she's been out like a light."

Rayne nodded, biting on her lower lip, "What about you? Aren't you tired?" she asked; the dark circles under Thalia's eyes answered her question.

"We should be in San Antonio in twenty minutes, better wake up Amber," said Thalia, stifling a yawn.

The mixture of coffee and Monster were beginning to wear off, she needed to find a motel and get a three to four-hour nap. Maybe longer.

Twenty minutes later, Thalia parked the car in the parking lot of a tiny motel. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her fake I.D., glad that for once, Arial's troublemaking ideas had come in handy. She signed in at the front, holding in a shudder of disgust as the whiskered old man leered at her body. Thalia hurried back to the car and had to carry Arianna up the stairs to their motel room.

"She's still asleep?" grumbled the Hunter as she set her down in one of the spare beds. Rayne shrugged, her mouth stuffed with Zebra Cakes. Amber flopped onto the couch and lazily began to flick through the channels. Thalia rolled her eyes and went to lie on the last bed.

"Wake me in a few hours or when Arianna wakes up," Thalia muttered, closing her eyes and falling into blissful darkness.

_Thalia stood on the edge of a cliff, watching two large armies face off against one another. Across from her, stood a young woman who looked familiar. The woman was slightly taller than average and pale, unruly black curls tumbled down her back like a dark waterfall and strands pressed against her perfectly sculpted cheekbones. Her pupils were slanted, like a cat's, and her irises were a bright, golden hazel with green flecks in them. _

_She wore a black tunic with gold stitching and matching black breeches and boots. A slender dagger hung from her waist. She smiled a wicked smile, cruelty flashing in her eyes, and both of the armies turned on their comrades, killing both their enemies and their own. Eris, goddess of strife and chaos, smirked and suddenly, she looked up from the battlefield and stared at Thalia._

_The demi-god was paralyzed by the intensity in the goddess's eyes. Her heart pounded in her chest like a war drum, her throat was parched. Suddenly, the fierce look faded from the goddess's eyes and smiled, a true, genuine smile that made her look like a kindly mother._

"_Προστασία της ."(1) Thalia nodded and with that the goddess smiled and disappeared. _

Thalia woke with a start. The clock on the nightstand read 10:00am. She groaned and staggered to her feet. Arianna was still sleeping, but Amber and Rayne were gone. Just then, the door turned and in walked the missing girls, arms laden down with McDonald bags.

"Breakfast is here," grinned Amber, setting her load down on Thalia's bed.

Thalia raised an eyebrow, annoyance flickering through her but she pushed those feelings away. "How come you guys didn't wake me up?" she asked, stretching and flexing her muscles.

Rayne shrugged, sitting down and began to sort through the bag, "You need all the sleep you can get, Thalia," said the slim blond, handing a platter of pancakes with a wrapped biscuit on top.

Thalia nodded, taking her food and flopping down on the unoccupied couch and tore into the warm food.

"So, where are we going after this?" asked Amber through a mouthful of scrambled eggs.

Rayne scrunched up her nose in disgust and tossed the younger girl a napkin. Thalia leaned back and furrowed her brow.

"We're heading back to New York, Amber. We've got to get Arianna to Camp," explained the hunter, sarcasm dripping from her voice like honey.

"What camp?" The trio turned around to where a bedraggled Arianna stood, her wild curls hanging limp down her back.

"Arianna, you're awake! Have some breakfast," said Rayne, grabbing one of the McDonalds bags and tossing it to the Hispanic girl.

Arianna fumbled with the bag for a moment before getting a firm grip on the bag and flopped onto the bed, eyeing them warily. "What camp? Where am I?" asked Arianna, digging into the food hungrily.

The demi-gods shared a look before Thalia broke the silence.

"You know the Greek myths, right? The ones about Zeus, Hades and Poseidon," Thalia paused and Arianna nodded her head to show she was following along. "Well, they actually exist. The myths aren't just stories, they happened for real. Zeus and the Greek Gods are real, and you're one of the god's kids." Thalia waited with baited breath for Arianna's reaction.

Arianna dropped the platter of pancakes she had been eating, and Thalia watched as the syrup splattered on the carpet. "You're insane." Thalia bit back a chuckle.

"I'm afraid we can't let you Arianna, you see, if you went back home, your father could be killed, or you could be, or someone else. The Greek gods are real, and like in the myths, they go around having children with humans, with mortals. Those children are called demi-gods. Rayne, Amber, and I are demigods. Rayne's father was Apollo, Amber's a daughter of Hermes, and Zeus is my father. We're not normal, Arianna. Monsters, stuff out of the Greek myths come and hunt us down and kill us if they can. They're attracted to our scent, the more powerful our immortal parent is, the stronger our scent is. Like me, for instance. My dad is Zeus, so monsters come in the hundreds to kill me. The same goes for Rayne and Amber. The reason we haven't been attacked yet is because we're disguising our scent. Monsters aren't a fan of Texas; it's so dry and humid here, and barren. We're using the scent of Texas to hide our own particular smell. Haven't you ever seen things? Things that can't be explained?"

Arianna furrowed her brow, "One time back when I was in 5th grade, there was this dog that attacked me on my way home from school. It was pretty big, as big as my house, with black fur and glowing yellow eyes. I freaked out and ran for my life. Suddenly, this woman comes out of nowhere and waves her hand and the dog disappeared. She was pretty, blond, pale and blue eyes. She smiled at me, and suddenly I felt peaceful and calm. When I told my dad about it, he said I was imagining things and that the neighbors said the dog had been a big Rottweiler," said Arianna slowly.

"Anything else, Arianna?" prompted Rayne.

Arianna shook her head, "You guys are insane! Magic and Greek gods don't exist!" spluttered the Hispanic girl.

"No? Then explain this" growled Thalia, already losing her patience. Her can of mace shifted into her traditional spear and the sarcastic arrogance was wiped from Arianna's eyes, replaced with terror.

"Holy shit! How the hell can you carry around a fucking spear without anyone noticing! Hell, how did the mace in your hand become a spear?" Arianna jumped away from Thalia, pale features flushed.

Thalia smirked. "There's a thing called the Mist, Arianna. The Mist makes mortals see anything but the truth. Right now, doesn't the spear in my hand keep flickering, sometimes looking like a pistol or some other weapon?" Arianna nodded slowly, unsure of what Thalia was getting at.

"Mortals wouldn't see my spear, only a modern weapon. The Mist keeps the mortals from seeing the magic. Only demi-gods and a few special mortals can see through the Mist. You being attacked by monsters only proves that you're a half-blood," explained Rayne, giving Thalia time to regain her patience.

"The gods exist Arianna, they move wherever Western civilization takes them, and it's brought them to America; New York City, to be specific. In fact, Olympus is the Empire State Building," chipped in Amber.

Arianna shook her head. "This is crazy. I'm not the daughter of some Greek god!" Thalia smirked. "Of course you aren't the daughter of a Greek god; you're the daughter of a Greek godd_ess_. Unless of course somehow your dad gave birth to you.." the Hunter trailed off.

Arianna glared at the daughter of Zeus. Thalia chuckled and tossed her a backpack. "Get dressed, we're heading out as soon as you ready." She strode out of the room with an amused Rayne and Amber at her heels.

Arianna shimmied into a plain black t-shirt and matching jeans, quickly tying the laces of her high-tops. She stuffed her basketball clothes into the bag and hurried out of the room.

Thalia waited outside the room alone, having sent Rayne and Amber to start the car. She carried her backpack slug casually over her shoulder. A few moments later, Arianna emerged, carrying her own backpack. "Ready?" asked the Hunter. Arianna said nothing, shooting a glare at the older girl. Thalia ignored the look and led the way towards the car, where Rayne and Amber were busy arguing about something in the backseat.

Thalia opened her door and sighed. It was going to be a long trip.

**A/N: I'm on summer break, so I'll probably be updating more often, if I'm not too lazy of course. **

**Translation- Protect her**


	7. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Some of you may recognize a scene from the infamous Bring it On: All or Nothing. It's my secret shame; I was watching the movie with my best friend a while back, and this scene just stuck with me, I loved it so much. I revised the scene a bit to fit Thalia's personality and clothing choice. Enjoy!

"C'mon Thals, it'll be fun!" said Amber from her spot in the backseat. Thalia glared at the daughter of Hermes through the rearview mirror. "One: Don't call me Thals. Two: I already said no" grumbled the dark haired hunter. "Thalia, what's the harm? Amber's right, it'll be lots of fun" pitched in Rayne.

Arianna stayed silent in the passenger seat, staring out the window.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "If I say yes, you've got to promise to behave" she grumbled as the car inched forward a bit. She cursed the heavy San Antonio traffic in Ancient Greek. "Yeah, I promise I'll behave!" said Amber, bouncing up and down in her seat like an impatient little kid. Thalia snorted and remained silent. She caught Arianna's eye; the Hispanic gave a slight nod.

Thalia made up her mind. "Fine, but the moment you get into trouble, so help me Zeus, I'll drag you to Camp by the hair, kicking and screaming" sighed the daughter of Zeus. Amber cheered and high-fived Rayne. Arianna smirked as she settled into her seat. "This should be interesting" mused the sassy brunette out loud, ignoring the withering glare Thalia shot her way.

It was a Saturday, so the park was packed with people. Arianna craned her neck to stare at the imposing ride known as the Goliath. People whizzed by, screaming in a mixture of terror and joy. Arianna grinned wickedly and cracked her knuckles, straightening to her full height, looking just as daunting as the ride. "I'm _so_ going on that ride" she declared, a crazed glint in her hazel eyes. Thalia snorted, lightly cuffing the younger girl's head. "You're insane" she mumbled as they got in line to purchase their tickets.

"What was your first clue?" retorted the Hispanic innocently; widening her eyes naively, a soft smirk playing on the corners of her lips. Amber and Rayne broke into guffaws, ignoring the glare Thalia gave them. The line moved quickly, thanks to the nonstop banter between Thalia and Arianna, which amused their younger friends to no end.

They got their tickets and were led to a metal detector. Arianna, Rayne and Amber passed through without incident, much to Arianna's amazement. From what she'd seen, the two younger demi-gods were armed. But when Thalia's turn came, the alarm went off. The guard raised an eyebrow, and Thalia rolled her eyes, lifting a foot up. "Steal toed boots" she growled.

The guard grabbed a handheld detector and slowly began moving it down her face. It went off and Thalia glared, pushing back the strands of her black hair that had grown out from her usual spiky 'do, giving her a shaggy, emo look. Small silver skulls dangled from her earlobes. The guard moved the device down her torso and it went off a second time. Thalia sighed.

"Belly ring" she grumbled, pulling her black tank top up a bit to reveal her flat, toned stomach, a small silver ring hanging from the small indent of her bellybutton. Thalia caught Arianna's eye, the younger girl was staring at her, a strange look in her eyes, an emotion Thalia couldn't identify.

The device went off a third time when it reached her hips. The guard stared, a lecherous smile forming on his thin lips. Thalia found her pale skin flush heavily with color that wasn't from the heat. "Those are my keys you pervert!" she snarled, pulling her keys from her pocket and pushed past him. Her friends roared with laughter, all except Amber, who despite being a daughter of Hermes still contained a good deal of naivety, and was the youngest. "I don't get it" stated the young girl as the group walked further into the park.

Rayne leaned over, brushing her lips against Amber's ear as she whispered franticly. Amber's eyes widened. "You can actually pierce that? But doesn't it hurt?" asked Amber. Arianna snickered, unable to help the smirk that seemed to be permanently attached to her mouth. "It hurts like a bitch, or so I'm told" grinned the sassy brunette, dodging the elbow Thalia aimed at her ribs. "You're worse than a boy" snorted Thalia. "Pfft, I'm better looking than any boy" sneered Arianna. Rayne shook her head.

"Hubris killed Jason" pointed out the blond. Arianna flashed her infamous dazzling smile. "Jason was a boy, I'm not" she said, leaning up to playfully kiss Thalia's cheek before dashing off to get in line for the Roadrunner with Amber hot on her trail, leaving the shocked hunter behind with the amused archer.

"Keep an eye on her, she's feisty" teased Rayne. Thalia shook her head, ignoring the younger girl as she moved to stand in the shade. When she was sure Rayne wasn't paying attention, she reached up to touch the spot where Arianna's lips had brushed her skin. The skin was warm. Thalia allowed herself a small, confused smile

"How can you be dressed that way in this weather?" asked Rayne, flopping down onto a shady bench. Arianna shrugged, brushing her unruly hair from her eyes. The Latina wore black jeans that had seen better days, and a tight black t-shirt. Her usual wristbands were still on her wrists, though she had discarded her customary jacket in the car; even she had limits. "I'm used to it; San Antonio is further up north, Brownsville is at the very tip of Texas, so it's hotter there" explained Arianna.

"It's never been this hot in New York" grumbled Amber. She had only lived in Brownsville with her mother until she was five; when she turned six her mother sent her to Camp on her father's wishes. "It's better to send her while she's young and still not strong enough to attract monsters; that way, when' she's finally old enough to have monsters coming for her, she'll be able to care for herself with no problem" Hermes had explained.

Thalia shook her head, wiping sweat from her brow. "This is crazy, it's like an oven in here" she grumbled.

Arianna chuckled softly at her sweaty friends. "This is nothing compared to the massive heat wave Brownsville had a few years back. Ya'll would've been cooked nice and crispy back then" said Arianna with her slight southern twang that would slip out every now and then.

Thalia grumbled a curse in Ancient Greek and leaned back, closing her eyes, enjoying the slight temperature change thanks to the shade. She prayed to her father, a wishful prayer mind you, that a cloud would appear in the sky and offer shade from the blistering sun.

A gasp made Thalia open her eyes, and she sat up straight when she saw a cluster of clouds floating in the sky. Arianna stared up at the sky, her jaw hanging open, the source of the gasp. Rayne peered up, squinting her eyes. "What did you do?" asked Amber.

Thalia shrugged, unable to suppress the proud smirk. "It was too hot" said the hunter simply.

Arianna rolled her eyes, glaring at no one or nothing in particular. "Hey guys, let's go on the Superman!" said Amber, pointing up ahead towards the red and blue ride that whizzed by, people screaming in sheer terror as their feet dangled in the air.

Arianna's scowl transformed into a predatory grin, her hazel eyes narrowed thoughtfully. "C'mon" she said, grabbing Thalia's arm and dragging her towards the near empty line.

The startled daughter of Zeus stared up at the ride with wide blue eyes. She gulped. She was terrified of heights, just the mere thought of getting on that monster made her bladder twitch.

Arianna turned her bright gaze on the hunter, regarding her with a teasing smile. "Don't tell me you're scared of heights" she said, her grip on Thalia's wrist gentle. Thalia stiffened, eyes contracting at the subtle coward jibe.

"No" she said defensively, pulling out of the Latina's grip with ease.

Arianna smirked. "Prove it," she challenged, "Go on the ride with me." Her hand found its way back onto her shoulder. Her touch made Thalia's skin sear with warmth, her cool eyes regarding the taller girl silently.

Thalia opened her mouth to answer the challenge issued, but Amber darted up to them, worry in her eyes. "Rayne just spotted a couple of hellhounds" she reported. Thalia tensed, scanning the area quickly. "Where?" she asked. Amber shifted uneasily, her ADD keeping her from holding still for long.

"Towards the entrance, the exit's there too" she replied. Thalia sighed mentally; glad to have escaped from Arianna's dare. "Let's go" she said, grasping Arianna's forearm as Amber darted off.

"Stay close to me" she ordered. Arianna raised an eyebrow. "You'll protect me?" she asked. Thalia nodded. "With my life" she said quietly, so quiet that if Arianna hadn't been standing next to her, she wouldn't have been able to hear the words.

Arianna nodded and the duo made their way back towards the entrance of the park.

When they got close, they heard screams erupt followed by a cry of pain. Thalia stopped in her tracks. She recognized that scream. Rayne. "C'mon!" she said, darting forward, tugging Arianna after her. People were running towards the exit, but Thalia was able to catch a glimpse of Amber standing over Rayne protectively, her twin knives in her hands, fighting off the two hellhounds.

One hellhound lunged at her, but Amber ducked, stabbing her knife into the hellhound's ribs.

The beast snarled in pain, stumbling back. The second hellhound swiped its massive paw at Amber; she blocked with the hilt of her knife. The monster snarled and swiped at her again, sending her blade flying. Amber cried out in pain as the first hellhound knocked her other knife from her hand, and she was pinned beneath the monster.

Author's Note: I'm so sorry I haven't update in months! My computer broke down, and I just got a new one a few days ago. This chapter is dedicated to my friend IamAbotticeli, whose birthday is on Monday, October 18. Happy birthday girl!


	8. Chapter 8

Thalia didn't think, she wasn't a daughter of Athena, but a daughter of Zeus; she didn't think, she _did_. She rushed towards the hellhound and stabbed it through the side; the strength and force of the impact knocking the monster into its partner.

Thalia bared her teeth, settling into a defensive crouch, muscles tensed, ready to spring; she looked like a panther about to pounce on its unsuspecting prey. She brought her shield up, smashing it into the first hellhound's skull while she skewered the second one. The second hellhound howled in pain as the spear went through him and he exploded into a fine white powder.

The first hellhound snarled at her and swiped at her head. Thalia ducked, punching the hellhound with her shield; one of her favorite and most used move. She dodged another swipe; glad she wasn't wearing heavy bronze armor, it would've only slowed her down.

Thalia jumped back, avoiding a hit and she stumbled, losing her balance for a moment, but a moment was all the hellhound needed to cuff her over the head.

Thalia fell to her knees, ears ringing from the force of the blow; she wasn't sure if she bleeding. She staggered to her feet, wincing as the ringing in her ears protested. She felt something yanking her stomach and she winced at the pain. The pain became worse, making her double over in agony. A loud explosion ricocheted in the air as slimy black tendrils wrapped around the hellhound, crushing it to bits.

Thalia's eyes widened at the display of power; she had seen the same thing happen at the gymnasium at Garcia Middle School.

From the corner of her eye, she saw Arianna slump to her feet, her olive complexion pale, sweat beading above her brow. The park was alive with panicked mortals and just chaos in general.

The daughter of Zeus staggered to her feet and limped over to the fallen Hispanic, pulling her up with a grunt of effort. Amber was already up, Rayne's arm slung across her shoulder. "We've got to go" growled the huntress, ignoring the words of protest Arianna uttered as she picked the younger girl up bridal style. Amber snorted, giving the darkened sky a wary glance. "That has to be the biggest understatement of the century" mumbled the young pick-pocket.

Thalia guided the party towards the parking lot, stiffening when she felt Arianna nuzzle into her chest, relaxing once she realized the brunette was beginning to doze off. "Pick a car Amber" ordered Thalia, scanning the parking lot for any threats. It seemed that there weren't any more monsters around besides the two hellhounds. "Why?" questioned Amber, though she scrutinized the surrounding cars around them, finally settling upon a plain white van.

"We can't take the Mustang in case someone reported it missing already" explained Thalia, already moving towards the van. It took Amber a few tense moments to pick the lock on the car, disable the alarm and hotwire the vehicle. Those moments seemed to be an eternity for Thalia.

The limp girl in her arms reminded the huntress that not only was her life and the fate of Olympus at stake, but the life of a young girl as well. Carefully, Thalia nudged open the passenger door and gently settled her charge onto the seat before restraining her with the seatbelt; it would do no good to be pulled over by a mortal cop.

"Go back to the Mustang and get the bags, I'll take care of Rayne" said the older girl, taking the blond from Amber. The daughter of Hermes sped off and was back a few minutes later with their various backpacks in hand. A few moments later, they were pulling out of Six Flags. "No more unnecessary stops Amber; we stop only to put gas, catch some sleep, and use the bathroom" warned Thalia a few moments later. Amber nodded her head in agreement. "I'm sorry Thalia, I didn't mean for Rayne and Arianna to get hurt" whispered the young girl. Thalia glanced at her through the rearview mirror. Silent tears crawled down the daughter of Hermes's cheeks, shame written across her face. Thalia softened.

"It wasn't your fault, those hellhounds could've attacked us anywhere" she said, trying to comfort her. Amber said nothing, and when Thalia looked at her again, she saw that the girl had pulled Rayne's unconscious body onto her lap and had buried her face in her companion's rich fair hair. Thalia didn't look at them again.

Instead, she glanced sideways towards Arianna. The Latina was sound asleep, her exhausted body accepting sleep. Thalia couldn't help but marvel at the strength the younger girl possessed; to have unleashed the full extent of her powers twice in a few days was impressive, Thalia doubted that if she herself tried to mimic the feat, she'd survive. The strength to survive such a task was great indeed.

The group drove through the busy streets of San Antonio, while Thalia debated her options in her mind. At first, driving had seemed like such a great idea, but now that she was aware that monsters were indeed hunting them, she needed to get the group to camp faster. Arianna needed to be trained properly, and they wouldn't have the time to train if they drove. Thalia racked her brain for any other options, but none would provide her with a faster mode of transportation

Grumbling in Ancient Greek, she drove the car towards the airport. At the sound of planes landing and taking off, Amber woke. She stared out the window in a sleep induced daze.

"I thought we were driving" she mumbled drowsily. "Change of plans, we need to get to get to camp faster" said Thalia. Amber raised an eyebrow. "How do you explain that?" she asked, nodding towards a slumbering Rayne and Arianna.

Thalia glared before reaching over to gently shake Arianna awake. "Get up Arianna, you just need to stay awake for a couple of hours and then you can go back to sleep" whispered the daughter of Zeus. Hazel eyes slowly flickered open and in a few moments, sharpened into focus.

"We're at the airport, I decided that flying is safer" explained the older girl. Slowly, gingerly, Arianna pushed herself up off the seat, and with Thalia's assistance, was able to unbuckle her seatbelt.

A few moments later, Rayne stood outside the car, rubbing her tender skull. Arianna leaned against the car, watching with bored interest as Thalia and Amber worked to unload the van of their possessions. "Shouldn't you update Chiron?" questioned Rayne as Thalia shouldered her backpack. The taller girl shrugged as she hefted the last bag out of the van before slamming the door shut. "I will" she promised as she shifted the bag to her other hand.

Arianna's eyes narrowed into slits as she gazed at the huntress. "Isn't that my backpack?" she asked, gesturing towards the bag in Thalia's hands. Thalia nodded slowly in response. "Yeah, why are you asking?" Arianna glared at her before snatching the backpack away. "I can carry my own stuff thank you very much" she growled. Thalia raised a slim brow. "Oh really? Even after exerting yourself so much you want to lug around your own stuff? Fine, be my guest" responded the daughter of Zeus in a mocking tone. Arianna glared at her but remained silent. "Ahem! Here Arianna, I got you your passport. Well, it's actually a fake one, but they won't notice" said Amber, breaking the tension caused by the two older girls.

Arianna took the passport from her and eyed it gingerly. "You sure they'll buy it?" she asked. Amber nodded her head eagerly, appearing offended. "Of course! What kind of daughter of Hermes would I be if I couldn't even make a decent fake passport?" she asked.

A muscle in the Latina's jaw twitched but she remained silent. She was still skeptical about the whole Olympian gods thing, but with recent events, she was slowly beginning to believe them.

"We better hurry, I have a feeling our plane leaves in 30 minutes" said Rayne, who had stayed silent the entire conversation. Thalia looked at her in surprise and the daughter of Apollo grinned sheepishly and tapped her temple lightly. "A little gift from dad is being able to either "see" the future or sense things. I can sense them" she explained.

Thalia couldn't fight the smirk that graced her lips at Arianna's dumfounded expression. "C'mon, we're wasting time" said the huntress, adjusting her backpack over her shoulder before leading the group into the airport.

The airport was busy and noisy. Thalia could feel a headache coming on just by watching people bustle around. The older girl scanned the signs, struggling against her dyslexia to read the painted words.

Arianna raised an eyebrow. "Wouldn't asking someone where to purchase tickets be easier than trying to read the signs?" she asked. Thalia glared at her. "I can read just fine" she said coldly. Amber frowned. "But, Thalia, you can't, you're dyslexic, we're all dyslexic" pointed out the amber eyed girl.

The huntress gritted her teeth and it took every ounce of self control not to throttle the younger girl or to smack the smug look off Arianna's face. Rayne grinned and patted Thalia's arm. "You're dyslexic too Arianna, so you shouldn't be looking so smug" growled Thalia. Arianna snorted and crossed her arms across her chest. "Yet I don't mind asking for help" retorted the Hispanic, and whirled around to face an elderly woman who was passing by. "Excuse me, miss, could you tell us where we can purchase tickets?" she questioned.

The woman eyed Arianna warily, taking in the group's slight raggedy appearance. "There's a booth up ahead, the bathrooms and water fountains are directly across from it" she replied. Arianna gave her a quick thank you as the woman hobbled away, and turned back to the group with a triumphant grin.

"See? Easy as pie" she said. Thalia rolled her eyes, though she grudgingly patted Arianna's arm and set down the hallway in a brisk pace.

The booth the lady had spoken of had a short line, and Thalia was able to purchase the tickets with little trouble. Thanks to Amber's pick pocketing habits, Thalia had been pleased to discover a large sum had been added to their dwindling amount of cash; enough that she was able to purchase first class tickets and still have a comfortable amount of money left over.

When she returned to where she had left the group, she was surprised to see Amber holding an expensive looking watch for Arianna and Rayne to examine. "Did you steal that?" asked the daughter of Zeus once she was close enough to be heard only by her companions. Amber grinned proudly and puffed up her chest. "Yep! I'm sure once we get back to camp I can find a daughter of Aphrodite who'd pay some good money for this" exclaimed the daughter of Hermes. Arianna chuckled and bumped her shoulder into Amber's. "Watch this" she said before slipping away from the group.

Thalia watched curiously as Arianna casually walked past a wealthy looking man who was busy barking something into his phone. Her eyes widened as she saw the girl slip her hand into the man's pocket and pull out an expensive wallet that was bulging with money and nonchalantly stuffed it into the pocket of her jacket. Suddenly, a hand latched onto the Hispanic's wrist and she found herself looking into a pair of cold, dark eyes.

The security guard was a large man with thick, dark hair and was clean shaven. His eyes were like a snakes; dark and beady. Thalia could feel herself tensing, but Rayne tugged her back. "Wait, something's going to happen" said the blond, brows furrowed as she tried to concentrate on her gift. The security guard said something to which Arianna responded back to an innocent tone. The guard growled out something and tightened his grip on Arianna's wrist. The girl's posture stiffened slightly and her eyes narrowed into dangerous, catlike slits. A commotion reached them, and the security guard shifted his attention for a moment, but that was all Arianna needed.

Moving like a snake, she was able to wriggle out of the guard's grip and darted into the crowd. The guard cursed and scanned the area for her in vain. After a few moments of searching, he gave up and went back to his post. A moment later, Arianna appeared at Thalia's elbow, smiling sheepishly.

"That was close" she said, brushing strands of hair from her eyes. Thalia glared at her. "That was a stupid thing to do. If you hadn't been able to escape, we would've had to come up with a plan to rescue you" she growled, reaching over to grip the younger girl's shoulder.

Arianna's eyes darkened in anger and she shoved Thalia's arm off. "Well, I was able to escape. Besides, you could've just showed him your spear and threatened to run him through with it" she hissed. Thalia snorted. "Our weapons are made of celestial bronze and are only capable of hurting monsters, not mortals. Besides, the Mist wouldn't have allowed him to see the spear; he would've seen a gun or something like that" explained Thalia coldly. Arianna straightened to her full height, which wasn't much compared to the Hunter's 5'9 height.

"Guys, they just announced that our plane is ready to be boarded, we've got to go" said Rayne, who, along with Amber, had been watching the two dark haired girls fight. Gently, she grabbed Arianna's shoulder and pulled her away from Thalia while Amber busied herself with asking for directions.

The girls went through security without a hitch, the guard who had caught Arianna nowhere in sight.

Thalia and Arianna had managed to get the seats next to each other; Arianna getting the window seat, and Thalia the one by the hallway. Amber and Rayne were positioned diagonal from them, their seating reversed. Thalia found herself watching her fellow passengers warily, as if waiting for one them to turn into a monster. She found herself fiddling with the bracelet on her wrist nervously as the plane took off.

Next to her, Arianna seemed to have dozed off, and Thalia found herself staring at the girl. Arianna's face was smooth, her pale pink cupid's bow lips twitching into a smile as she shifted in her seat, her head coming to rest on Thalia's slightly broad shoulder. Normally, having someone this close to her would've made the huntress uncomfortable and restless, she found herself able to sit still.

Arianna's thick curls felt silky against her neck and cheek, and a few strands tickled Thalia's lips. She found the sensation oddly enjoyable. With the younger girl's calm, even breathing, Thalia found herself being lured to sleep. Even though the last thing she saw before her eyes closed was Rayne and Amber talking to themselves, the last thing that crossed the huntress's mind was that she'd give anything to run her fingers through Arianna's unruly mane of curls.


	9. Chapter 9

**A/N: Happy Valentines day! As a gift for my dear readers (who I hope will leave a review) I've decided to post a fluffy chapter. It's slow, but it's needed to establish a few things. ;)**

Thalia's eyes flew open as her stomach gurgled a warning and moving with speed she didn't know she possessed, she sprinted towards the restroom. As soon as the door clicked shut, the daughter of Zeus collapsed against the toilet and began to vomit violently. After what felt like hours, Thalia's empty stomach seemed to settle.

Drenched in sweat, she leaned against the commode, struggling to catch her breath. She should've known this would happen; not right away, but it would've happened eventually. Thalia closed her eyes and listened to the frantic beating of her heart.

She hated flying, what kind of child of Zeus is afraid of heights? She was a failure, an embarrassment to her father, king of the gods.

Thalia opened her eyes, her heartbeat had returned to normal, and her breathing had evened out. Moving slowly, she got to her feet and staggered over to the sink. She stared at her reflection, a tall, pale girl with unruly black hair and electric blue eyes. Upon closer inspection did she see that she was far paler than usual, that her hair was plastered to her skull with sweat, and exhaustion flickered in her eyes. Thalia sighed deeply and turned on the faucet, rinsing her mouth and began to finger fluff her hair, trying to get it back to some semblance of order.

Fifteen minutes later, the huntress slid back into her seat, trying to ignore the questioning glance the recently awakened Arianna shot at her. "You alright?" asked the Hispanic, a frown playing upon her features. "I'm fine, just needed to use the bathroom" lied Thalia, shifting in her seat in attempt to get comfortable. Arianna raised an eyebrow, but Thalia ignored her questioning look and leaned back in her seat, shutting her eyes closed.

On their journey to Texas, Thalia and the other two girls had taken the bus and train, so she hadn't been forced to deal with her fear of heights.

"So, tell me more about this camp" said Arianna, breaking the silence. Thalia sighed. "Camp Half-Blood is a place where demi-gods stay for the summer, or year-round if their parent is especially strong. Monsters hunt down demi-gods by tracing their scent, the scent of their divine parent. Some demi-gods are lucky and their scent is weak, monsters leave them alone for the most part. There are some actors and actresses I'm sure you've heard of that are children of Aphrodite, and some don't even realize what they are. But, demi-gods like Amber and Rayne, they have to stay at camp all year and rarely leave. If they do, it's only every few months to visit their mortal parent, and the visits are never longer than three days. It's just too dangerous" explained the hunter.

Arianna's face paled. "Do you mean that I'll be stuck at camp all year?" she asked in a worried voice. "I'm not sure exactly, Chiron would have to be the judge of that" she said awkwardly, struggling to find the right words.

"I've never been outside of Brownsville before, unless you count visiting family in Matamoros (1)" said the Hispanic, subconsciously twisting the black Puma sweatband on her right wrist, and pushed it back to reveal pale skin marred by ugly, thick scars that crisscrossed across her flesh. Thalia stiffened and narrowed her eyes, but before she could speak, Arianna pushed the sweatband back into place, successfully hiding the scars from sight. The younger girl glared at the huntress, silently refusing to explain the marks.

Thalia cleared her throat, looking uncomfortable. "Tell me more about yourself" she said, trying to change the subject.

Arianna smirked, the wary hostility dying down a bit in her eyes. "Like what?" she asked, leaning in closer, so close Thalia could feel the girl's gentle breath on her face. "Like, your favorite color, your favorite food, stuff like that" mumbled the taller girl, feeling a bit self conscious. Arianna chuckled and a smile tugged at the corners of her mouth. "On one condition; for every question you ask me, I'm allowed to ask a question of my own" she said. Thalia's brow furrowed, her mind said no. But, somehow, her traitorous mouth opened up, and she heard herself agree.

"What's your favorite color?" questioned the older girl. "Sapphire blue" responded Arianna, leaning back in her seat, watching the huntress with curious hazel eyes so bright they appeared gold. "Do you have any family?" asked the Hispanic. Thalia clenched her teeth, and she forced her muscles to relax. "My mother died in a car crash" she responded coolly. Arianna's expression shifted to one of momentary pity, replaced by one of longing. "I never knew my mother.. My father told me that after she gave birth to me, she gave me to him to raise because she wasn't an ideal parent figure. I have brief memories though, weird since I was only a baby when she gave me to him. Well, they aren't so much memories; a woman's voice humming, the warmth of a smile, that kind of thing." Arianna fell silent, a look of gloom settling onto her features.

"My mother was a famous TV actress, and a junkie. She rarely came home before eleven; sometimes she didn't even come home at all. When she wasn't working, she was home drunk or out getting high." Thalia's voice was filled with bitterness, and a muscle in her jaw twitched.

A moment later, the daughter of Zeus felt something warm envelope her hand. She glanced down and saw Arianna's slim hand laying over hers. The younger girl's hand was incredibly warm and her skin was soft. Her fingers were long and slim, strong with nails so long, they were like mini daggers. Arianna gently intertwined their fingers and she gave the huntress a reassuring squeeze.

Thalia felt electricity travel up her spine. Arianna said nothing, she held onto Thalia's hand, her thumb lightly stroking the top of the huntress's hand.

The action soothed her, and Thalia felt the bitterness and anger towards her mother fade, replaced by warmer feelings, feelings of peace and serenity.

"We have a couple of more hours until our flight lands" said Thalia quietly. Arianna nodded and leaned back in her seat, her thumb stopping its gentle caress, but her hand remained in the older girl's grip. "Think Amber and Rayne will stay asleep the rest of the trip?" she asked, jerking her chin in the directions of the other girls. Thalia glanced over her shoulder and grinned at the sight that greeted her eyes.

Rayne's head was nestled against her chest, blond hair hanging over her eyes. Amber's head was tipped back, her mouth opened wide. A small line of drool dribbled out from a corner of her mouth. Thalia chuckled as she turned back in her seat. "They'll stay asleep alright, both of them need all the sleep they can get. Speaking of, how are you feeling?" Arianna shrugged and reached up to massage her tender skull. "I'm still a bit tired, but I'll be fine." Thalia didn't look convinced.

The younger girl gave the huntress's hand another squeeze and shifted her weight in attempt to get more comfortable and she smirked. "Well, with those two sleeping like the dead, we'll have plenty of time to talk" she mused, brushing stray curls from her eyes. Thalia smiled and squeezed Arianna's hand back. "Of course, I'll be more than happy to answer any questions you have" she responded. Arianna smiled broadly, and Thalia found herself smiling back.

A/N: 1. Matamoros is a city in Mexico.


	10. Chapter 10

As soon as the girls got off the plane, Thalia started glancing around, muttering to herself. Arianna gave Rayne a questioning look, but the blond merely shrugged her shoulders and kept quiet. "Ah ha! This way" said Thalia suddenly, heading purposely forward. Rayne rolled her eyes and followed her, with a rather reluctant Arianna and Amber in tow.

The daughter of Zeus led them to a deserted wing of the airport where a marble fountain gently spewed water. The entrance to the wing flickered; one moment the hallway could be seen clearly, the next, a brick wall obscured their view of the corridor. "Why the hell is my eyesight screwing up?" questioned Arianna, rubbing at her eyes in an attempt to clear her vision. "Relax, it's just the Mist" explained Rayne.

Thalia saw the flicker of unease in the Latina's eyes, and she pitied her. She could see that Arianna was scared, despite her cocky attitude. Thalia's thoughts drifted back to her bonding experience with Arianna back on the plane, and her stomach twisted, though not in an unpleasant way.

The huntress was pulled back into reality as she heard Amber's question. "What's our next move?" "I'm going to contact Chiron and let him know where we're at." announced Thalia, digging out a golden drachma from her pocket and flicked it into the fountain.

"Oh Iris, goddess of the Rainbow, accept my offering" murmured Thalia as the coin plopped into the water. The water shimmered for a few moments and Thalia took in a breath. "Chiron, Camp Half-Blood" she said. A few heartbeats later, Chiron's face appeared in the water.

"Ah, my dear girl, I'm pleased to see you're alright. How is everyone?" asked the centaur. "Everyone's fine, though we had a run in with Kampê back at Garcia, so we had to run for it. She chased us, but lost our scent and we haven't seen her since" explained Thalia. Chiron frowned. "Where are you right now Thalia?" he asked, his brow wrinkled. Thalia raised an eyebrow. "We're in New York right now" she said, somewhat puzzled.

"You need to hurry and get out of the city; Kampê is probably tracking you as we speak, you'll be safe when you get back to camp" said Chiron, looking worried. The fountain beeped. "Please insert another drachma for another five minutes" said a smooth, female voice. "Get to camp as soon as possible, and don't stop driving until you get here."

The water flickered and Chiron's face was gone. "Finished?" questioned Amber, glancing up at the sound of approaching footsteps. "Pretty much" responded Thalia, shouldering her backpack. She considered contacting the Hunters but pushed the idea aside; Chiron would let them know she was alright.

"We need to get to camp, Chiron says that Kampê could be tracking us" said the daughter of Zeus. "I actually don't want to go back to camp" grumbled Amber. Thalia and Rayne exchanged looks. "Why not? You all make this Camp Half-Blood sound like Heaven" asked Arianna.

"Yeah, why _don't_ you want to get back to camp?" inquired Thalia, arching a brow. Amber flushed and shot the older girl an annoyed look. "The Hunters will be there, that's why." Arianna's features morphed into a mask of confusion.

"Who are the Hunters?" she questioned. "Only a bunch of teenage girls who hang around with Artemis. They're a bunch of prudes really" explained Amber. Rayne snorted and Thalia glared at the daughter of Hermes. "The Hunters are a group of girls who serve Artemis. They swear off romantic love and men forever. In exchange, they become stronger, faster and immortal unless killed in battle" clarified Thalia.

"Yep, and Thalia here happens to be the lieutenant of the Hunters, Artemis's right hand girl" said Amber, jabbing her thumb at the silver circlet that kept most of her hair back. Arianna's eyes widened as she moved closer to study the circlet. She reached up to touch it, but paused and glanced at Thalia, silently asking the older girl for permission. The daughter of Zeus met her questioning gaze and nodded slightly.

Soft, warm fingers ghosted over the hunter's cheek, and Thalia had to fight the urge to close her eyes and rub against her hand like a kitten. She wasn't able to stop the soft purr that built up in her chest though. The heavenly touch left her face, and she felt something caress her hair, brushing the strands out of her face.

"And here I thought this was your favorite headband or something" said the Hispanic in an amused voice. Thalia felt a wave of heat roll over her, and she was forced to look away from the mischievous hazel eyes.

"We need to get going or we risk Kampê catching our scent." To Thalia's horror, her voice came out husky. She cleared her throat, a heavy flush crawling up her neck. Arianna didn't seem to notice, though Rayne arched a brow, a half smile tugging at her lips.

The group left the airport quickly, and hurried down the street. Arianna muttered something in Spanish and rubbed her hands together briskly. "_Oralé, _it's freezing" shivered the young basketball player, who was dressed for warding off the chill of October in southern Texas, not for New York weather.

Thalia shrugged out of the leather jacket she'd exchanged her silver parka for and draped it over the smaller girl's shoulders. "Take it, this should warm you up." Arianna shook her head. "Won't you get cold?" she asked. Thalia grinned wryly. "As a hunter, I don't feel cold" she said.

"Hey Thalia, check out that car!" exclaimed Amber, pointing to a sleek, red Camaro.

Thalia's eyes went wide as she turned her attention to the car. "Damn, that's a fancy car" whispered Rayne. Arianna licked her lips. "Hell, it's the kind of car from a car junkie's wet dream" said the Latina. Thalia shifted uncomfortably at the mention of a wet dream and glanced away. "Taking it will attract attention" she said. Amber snorted. "Well, what car do you suggest then? I refuse to be seen in some cheap, grandma car like a Volkswagen" said the youngest girl. Rayne shielded her eyes with her hand and smirked. "I know just the perfect car" she said slowly.

"I hate you so much Rayne" growled Amber from the backseat of a canary yellow Bug. Thalia sat slumped in the driver's seat, an annoyed expression on her face. Next to her, Arianna was disguising herself with a pair of sunglasses Amber had filched for her from a street vendor.

"Worst car in history" growled the Latina. Rayne rolled her eyes. "Hey, at least it wasn't the pink truck" she argued. Thalia flinched as she drove through traffic. "I'm happy with the bug" she said. Rayne smirked as she leaned back in her seat.

Amber grumbled something under her breath as she reached into her backpack, pulling out a bag of crackerjacks. She grabbed a handful and repeated to stuff the snack into her mouth. Rayne scrunched up her nose in disgust. "You eat like a pig" said the blond. Arianna snorted. "That's an insult to pigs" she said.

Thalia rolled her eyes. "You're a total slob Amber. I'm glad I don't share a cabin with you" commented the daughter of Zeus as she switched lanes.

Rayne smirked. "But, until she's claimed, Arianna's going to be stuck with Amber!" cackled the green-eyed girl. "What do you mean claimed? I'm not a lost dog at the pound" said the Hispanic. Amber snickered and Rayne smiled. Thalia rolled her eyes, biting the inside of her cheek to ward off a smile. "Claiming is when your godly parent claims you, acknowledging that you're their child. It doesn't always happen though. The unclaimed kids stay in the Hermes cabin. He's a jack of all trades god, he isn't picky" explained the oldest girl.

"You mean half-bloods don't always know who their parent is? That's sad." Thalia shrugged. "They're gods; they can't always be bothered to claim their children." Rayne had a bitter expression on her face. "My dad didn't claim me till I was ten, two years after I'd been at camp" said Amber, breaking the awkward silence.

Thalia snorted. "I was claimed while on the run." Arianna glanced curiously at her, causing the hunter to tense up. Luckily, the younger girl stayed silent.

Thalia's stomach began to hurt as they continued down the road. She glanced up at the sky; the clouds were dark and stormy. "Looks like your dad decided to add in some rain" commented Rayne as she peered out the window.

Thalia didn't reply as the rain began to fall. The only sounds that could be heard were the _ping_ of raindrops bouncing off the car, the girl's breathing and the occasional rumble of thunder.

Thalia growled. "Damn it, the sky's gotten so dark it's almost impossible to see" said the daughter of Zeus. Amber frowned. "But, Zeus is your dad, why would he do this?" questioned the youngest girl. Thalia didn't answer; she was too focused on ignoring the tugging at her gut and on trying to drive through the heavy rain.

Suddenly, a loud thud cut through the air. Something had landed on top of the car.

"Get out now!" yelled Thalia, yanking off her seatbelt and kicked open the door, tumbling out into the pouring rain. She fumbled for her can of mace; she couldn't find it. Swearing, she summoned the hunting knives she used amongst the Hunters. Squinting through the rain, her stomach dropped when she caught sight of the being on top of their car. Kampê had found them.

"Run!" ordered Thalia to her shivering friends, grabbing Arianna's arm and propelled her forward. Lighting streaked across the sky, giving Thalia a few precious moments to see her surroundings. Her heart soared. They were close to camp.

"Keep running forward" she called out to her friends, her eyes stinging as rainwater dripped into them. Rayne and Amber thundered past Thalia, their sneakers making wet, squelching sounds against the wet pavement.

Thalia wasn't sure how, but she could hear the hissing of snakes along with wing beats behind her. Her heart raced; Kampê was gaining on them.

Thalia forced herself to run faster; she could see that Arianna was ahead, running blindly through the rain. Suddenly, a large figure landed in front of the Hispanic. Arianna screamed, pivoting on her heel and tried to run around the figure, but her feet slipped on the wet grass. "Don't let her scimitars touch you!" shouted Thalia, hoping her voice could carry above the storm.

Apparently, Arianna heard her and rolled away from the blades, jumping to her feet, eyes wide with fear. "Thalia!" screeched the younger girl, dodging a slash aimed at her stomach.

Thalia put on a burst of speed; she was practically flying over the ground. Some primal force was causing her vision to go red, to feel a bloodlust that a child of Ares craved. She lunged at Kampê, hoping to impale the monster with one of her hunting knives. No such luck; the creature dodged, the snakes in her hair hissing angrily.

Kampê swung her scimitars down at Thalia, but the hunter blocked them with her own blades and kicked the monster away. "Run!" called out Thalia, grabbing onto Arianna's arm and dragged her along.

Thunder boomed across the sky, shortly followed by lighting. Thalia was able to make out Half-Blood Hill. "We're almost there" she panted. The daughter of Zeus dared a look over her shoulder; Kampê was hot on their heels. She slowed to a stop. "Thalia, what are you doing?" yelled Rayne. "I'll distract Kampê while you guys get to camp and get reinforcements" she said, spinning her blades through the air gently, feeling the electric charge of the night coursing through her veins and charging her knives with the electricity. Rayne looked like she was about to argue, but Thalia glared at her, and the blond scuttled away, grabbing Amber and Arianna, forcing them up the hill.

The hunter turned her attention back to the task at hand. "So half-blood, we meet again" hissed Kampê, bringing her scimitars up. Thalia smirked, tightening her grip on her blades. "Looks like we do, maybe this time you'll actually be able to get me" she mocked. Kampê hissed and struck at Thalia.

The half-blood deflected the blow with the flat end of her blade, bringing up her second knife just in time to ward off a stab aimed at her shoulder. Grunting, she pushed Kampê aside and leaped aside as the monster swung her scimitars at her.

The fight dragged on, the clang of metal hitting metal matching the boom of thunder and the crash of lightning. The ground was wet and slippery beneath Thalia's boots; it was a challenge to keep her balance. Adrenaline fueled her on, coursing through her veins like the ichor in her blood. She blocked every blow, dodged every slash. She was a daughter of Zeus, a warrior. She was second in command of the Hunters. She would not lose. She was Thalia Grace.

Thalia felt the adrenaline push begin to fade; her movements were slower, her limbs began to feel heavy. She knew that Chiron was probably rousing the rest of the camp to reinforce her. Thalia gritted her teeth as Kampê knocked one of her blades from her hand, and the demigod ducked away from the wild stab aimed at her chest. Panting, she scrambled up Half-Blood hill, heading towards the tree she had been imprisoned in. "Where are you going daughter of Zeus? I'm not finished with you" cackled Kampê.

Thalia stood with her back to the tree. She took a deep breath; she could hear the thudding of hurried feet as they ran to the armory. Déjà Vu washed over Thalia; she was sacrificing herself to save her friends again, on the exact same spot as she did all those years ago. She adjusted the grip on her knife and took her fighting stance.

Kampê's tail connected with Thalia's wrist, sending her remaining blade flying. A cry of pain escaped the hunter's lips as the monster's tail smashed into her wrist. Another flick of the creature's tail caught Thalia in the ribs, and the half-blood went flying and smashed into a nearby tree.

Agony washed over the daughter of Zeus; she felt as if someone had just snapped her chest in two. She lay on the ground, drenched in rain and sweat, struggling to breathe. This was the end for her, she knew it. By the time reinforcements came, she'd be dead. Thalia closed her eyes, refusing to cry. She was a child of Zeus, she would not cry in the face of death. She shifted onto her left hip, hoping to alleviate the sharp pain in her right side.

She felt something dig into her hip, and moving slowly, she reached into the pocket of her jeans and pulled out a slim canister. Hope flickered through her. Maybe it wasn't her time to die yet.

"So the daughter of Zeus has come to this; weak and broken, no better than a mere mortal" taunted Kampê above her. Thalia's fingers tightened around the container in her hand. Thunder exploded across the night, and Thalia leaped to her feet, gasping in pain as her can of mace shifted into her spear. She lifted the weapon up in the air just as lighting blazed across the sky, hitting her spear and rebounding off to hit Kampê. The monster bellowed in pain, and Thalia used her remaining strength to stab her spear into Kampê's chest, right below her heart.

The creature snarled and yanked out the spear. "We'll meet again" she hissed, spreading her wings and disappearing into the stormy night. Thalia collapsed to her knees, her head swimming. In the distance, she could hear the muffled footsteps of people running, shouting her name.

"Thalia? Thalia!" yelled a familiar, female voice.

The hunter's eyes closed as she fell onto her uninjured side. Then, darkness.


	11. Chapter 11

Growing up in Brownsville, a city right across the border, Arianna had seen countless gang fights, but never had she seen so much blood. Thalia's face was as white as virgin snow, and was covered in muck. Twigs and bits of leaves poked out of her shaggy hair, and her clothes were tattered. Shards of bone peaked out through the hunter's shirt, piercing through the flesh.

Bile rose up in Arianna's mouth and she found herself heaving up the contents of her stomach. Her throat burned as if she had just swallowed acid and her eyes stung with tears every time her stomach lurched painfully. Distantly, she felt soft hands caress her shoulder and pull her hair back from her face, murmuring in a soothing tone. Finally, after what seemed like forever, the Hispanic's stomach was empty and calm. She stood there, feeling the burning sensation in her throat slowly fade away. The chill of the night dried her tears and sweat, making her shiver and pull her jacket tighter around herself.

Arianna stiffened; this wasn't her jacket, it was Thalia's. She held the sleeve up to her nose and breathed in the comforting scent of the older girl. Thalia's scent was delicious; a mixture of chocolate and lavender, along with something that was purely Thalia. "She'll be ok." Arianna whirled around to come face to face with a concerned looking Rayne. The blond smiled comfortingly and patted the shorter girl's arm. "Chiron will take care of her."

Arianna lowered her brow. "Chiron, the guy who's half horse?" she asked. Rayne nodded, biting back a smile. "Yeah, that's him. He's the one who trained Hercules, Jason, Achilles, and many others." Arianna snorted. "Please, he doesn't look ancient. Wouldn't he have died by now?" Rayne smirked and patted the smaller girl's head. "You'll soon learn that not everyone is the age they appear to be, especially in our world. Chiron will train heroes until he is no longer needed; so basically, he can live forever" explained the blond.

Arianna's eyes widened. "Forever? That's a long time" she mused. Rayne nodded. "Yeah, but he's very knowledgeable about how to treat wounds and stuff" she pointed out. Arianna whirled around, but the spot where Thalia had laid, looking so broken and helpless, was empty, the only sign that anyone had been there at all was the trampled grass and a dark stain Arianna instantly knew as being blood.

"I thought it would be best if you were distracted when they moved her" said Rayne sheepishly when Arianna shot her a look full of venom. Arianna shook her head. "Where are they placing her?" she asked. "She'll be placed in The Big House, where the infirmary is located" said a cool voice. A huge, beefy girl with auburn hair slipped out from the shadows, dressed in a metallic tank top and jeans, a snow white wolf at her heels. Arianna saw a muscle in Rayne's jaw twitch, much like when Thalia was angrily biting back a biting remark.

"Arianna, this is Phoebe, one of the Hunters" said Rayne, eyes narrowed. Phoebe gave Arianna a once over. "She's the all-powerful demi-god? She doesn't look like she'd be able to swat a fly" snorted the Hunter. Arianna bristled at the remark, but Rayne sent her a warning glance. With much difficulty, Arianna held her tongue. "Phoebe, that's enough" said another voice, this one much higher than Phoebe's deep tenor. A petite girl with dirty blond hair attempted a glare at the offending girl, but shrank away when Phoebe turned her gaze on her. "I-I m-mean, it's not her fault Thalia's hurt. You know Thalia, she always has to be the hero" said the small girl, cheeks flushing at the stutter. Arianna's eyes narrowed slightly as she took this all in; Phoebe was far more dominate than the other girl she noted, and while the girl tried to act strong, she was timid and shy, like a mouse.

Rayne coughed. "Arianna, meet Amanda, she took Thalia's place as lieutenant while she was away with us to get you" explained the daughter of Apollo. Amanda smiled shyly at Arianna, looking at her through her lashes. Arianna smiled back kindly, the hairs on the back of her neck and on her arms bristling as she felt Phoebe's cold stare.

"Well Arianna, I think it's best that you get settled" said Rayne, grabbing the younger girl by the arm. Phoebe raised an eyebrow. "Has she been claimed?" she asked. Rayne shook her head. "Not yet." Phoebe smirked. "Demi-gods don't always get claimed you know. It took my mother fourteen years to acknowledge me as her own" said the hunter, smiling cruelly. Amanda shot Arianna a look of pity but said nothing. Rayne glared at Phoebe. "Everyone's different Phoebe. Now, if you'll excuse us, I need to get Arianna settled into the Hermes cabin before I get some sleep myself" said the daughter of Apollo, flipping her hair over her shoulder and all about yanking Arianna away.

Arianna found herself staring at a cluster of cabins built in a U formation. Rayne led her to an old cabin with a bad paint job. "This is the Hermes Cabin; any demi-gods who are Hermes's kids or unclaimed stay here" said the blond, opening the door. "Travis, Conner! You got yourselves a new camper" shouted Rayne. Two boys stepped outside of the cabin and eyed Arianna curiously. The younger girl blinked; the boys looked so similar they could've been twins. "Guys, this is Arianna Mendez" said Rayne, nodding to her companion. The taller boy scrutinized her for a few brief moments.

"Unclaimed?" he asked. Rayne nodded. The shorter boy sighed. "Well come on then, we need to get you settled" he said, opening the door wider and stepping aside. Arianna hesitated, but after an encouraging look from Rayne, she stepped inside. The cabin was packed with kids, some sleeping on bunks, and the rest on the floor in sleeping bags. "

"Here ya go" said the taller boy, whom Arianna presumed was Travis, and handed her a sleeping bag, a pillow, and a Ziploc bag with a toothbrush, a tube of toothpaste and a container of soap. "Just find an empty spot on the floor and set up" he told her. "Travis! Come on, Chiron's called a meeting for us" called out Conner from besides the door. Travis flashed her a crooked smile and patted her arm before he went off with his brother.

Arianna turned around and found herself being studied by a horde of kids. She felt the blood rise to her face and she busied herself by scanning the room for an empty bit of floor. After a few moments of searching, she found a space big enough for her liking and unfolded her sleeping bag, setting her bag of toiletries besides her makeshift bed. She had been carrying her backpack with her so she set that down too. She kicked off her muddy high-tops and sat down on the sleeping bag.

A few moments later the door opened again, and with the help of the moonlight, Arianna was able to recognize Amber. The younger girl scanned the room before she finally saw Arianna and she smiled at her, juggling a set of clothes and a towl and she closed the door with her foot. She scurried across the room and grabbed something before hurrying over to Arianna.

"Hey there" whispered the daughter of Hermes breathlessly, throwing her sleeping bag onto the ground besides Arianna's and setting her towl and a bag down besides them.

"Is Thalia alright?" asked Arianna urgently. The thought of the older girl dead made Arianna sick to her stomech. Amber's face took on a serious expression. "She was pretty beat up, but Thalia's a fighter, she'll live" said Amber quietly. Arianna breathed a sigh of relief. A touch at her shoulder made her bristle but it was only Amber looking at her with worry in her eyes. "Get some sleep Arianna, you're going to need it for tomorrow" said the younger girl, letting loose a loud yawn.

Arianna nodded and turned on her side. After a few heartbeats, she could hear Amber's slow, measured breathing and knew the other girl was aleep already. She stared into the darkness, thinking of Thalia, of how the despite the older girl's gruff words she genuinly seemed to care about her. Arianna's throat clenched. No one had ever really cared about her before.. Her father seemed to resent her and was usually busy at work, trying to earn enough money to keep them off the street.

But Thalia was different. She _did_ care, atleast, Arianna thought she did.

_Why would she care about you when not even your own parents do?_

Arianna clenched her eyes shut, trying desperatly to block out the voice.

_She's going to leave you, they all will. Just like your mother left you._

"No" whispered Arianna, eyes burning with unshed tears.

_Oh yes, she's going to leave you, she's going to leave you all alone in the world. She doesn't care, you're not worth the effort. You're broken, dirty, used. No one will ever want you. **She** won't want you, not when she finds out what happened._

The tears spilled from her eyes and Arianna's shoulders shook. The Hermes Cabin continued to slumber, none of them aware of the turmoil their newest cabin mate was experiancing. Even in a crowed room, Arianna was alone with her pain.

_You will always be alone._


	12. Discontinued

AN: I've discontinue this story. Frankly, I've lost interest in the PJO books, though I may post a one-shot every now and then if I feel inspired. Good luck and happy reading.


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